The Jewish Community Scholars Program began in 2001 in Orange County California to provide high level adult Jewish education. Technology has given CSP a global reach with partner synagogues in Israel, Europe and all of North America. As a partner synagogue, Temple Israel members have access to CJP’s vast array of live presentations from top notch scholars. CSP also has an extensive archive of past programs on You Tube.
Sunday, September 21st & 28th from 4:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. (PT) and 7:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. (ET) live on Zoom from Berkeley, CA
“How Kabbalah Reimagines Torah” led by Prof. Daniel Matt
As we approach the Jewish New Year and prepare to complete the annual cycle of Torah reading, we are invited to revisit an ancient question with fresh eyes: What is the Torah, really? While traditionally understood as a sacred text combining narrative and law, the Kabbalistic tradition offers a radically different lens—seeing the Torah not just as words on parchment, but as a living, dynamic force, a divine emanation that reveals the mysteries of God and the boundless potential within each soul. In this two-part series, renowned Kabbalah scholar and translator Prof. Daniel Matt will guide us into this mystical understanding, illuminating key Kabbalistic texts that challenge us to rethink the nature of Torah itself. Drawing on decades of scholarship—including his monumental nine-volume translation and commentary of the Zohar, as well as accessible works like The Essential Kabbalah and God and the Big Bang—Prof. Matt will open new spiritual pathways for encountering Torah at this season of renewal and reflection. CLICK HERE TO REGISTER.
Tuesday, September 30th from 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. (PT) and 6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. (ET) live on Zoom from London, UK
“Jonah Meets Moby Dick: Facing the Deep on the Day of Awe” led by Rabbi Dr. Raphael Zarum
Join Rabbi Dr Zarum for a study of the literary meanings of the second chapter of the book of Jonah. From the Midrash and New Testament to Michelangelo, Herbert Melville, Jules Verne all the way to Captain Jack Sparrow. Transform your Yom Kippur experience by diving with Jonah into the belly of the beast. CLICK HERE TO REGISTER.
Sunday, October 5th from 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. (PT) and 1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. (ET) live on Zoom from Israel
“Hinneni: Soldiers’ Poems for the Days of Awe” led by Dr. Rachel Korazim
Midst the holidays of Tishrei, a time of reflection, judgment, and renewal, we turn to voices that have emerged from the most difficult of days. The Hinneni collection gathers poems written by soldiers, both in regular and reserve duty, in the wake of October 7th. A joint project of Mashiv Haruach publishing house and the IDF Education and Youth Corps, the collection spans Israel’s diverse ideological landscape. Some poems may feel immediately familiar, while others challenge us to encounter perspectives beyond our own. Just as the High Holidays invite us to face ourselves and our community with honesty and courage, these poems open a raw and intimate window into the fractured, searching discourse of Israeli society today. CLICK HERE TO REGISTER.
Thursday, October 9th, 23rd, & 30th from 12:30 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. (PT) and 3:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. (ET) live on Zoom from London
“Ben Sira, Enoch, and Jubilees: Jewish Texts at the Edge of the Canon” led by with Rabba Dr. Lindsey Taylor – Guthartz
In this three-part series, we’ll explore three ancient Jewish works that stood just outside the biblical canon yet shaped Jewish imagination for centuries.
Part 1 – Ben Sira: A 1,900-year-old book that almost, but didn’t quite, make it into the Bible, the Book of Ben Sira (also known as Ecclesiasticus) is full of moral advice, beautiful psalm-like passages, and some unfashionable views about women. We will look at its fascinating history and sample some of the text.
Part 2 – Enoch: Enoch only has a tiny part in the book of Bereshit, but his apparent failure to die inspired later Jews to fill in the rest of his story. We’re going to take a look at the First Book of Enoch, from the 3rd century BCE, which includes a tour of heaven, a universe bristling with angels, a solar calendar, and lots of apocalyptic stuff.
Part 3 – Jubilees: Back in the second century BCE, an adventurous Jew decided to rewrite the Bible … and produced the Book of Jubilees, a fascinating read with all sorts of secret information on the calendar, the early life of Abraham, and God’s plan for the Jewish people. CLICK HERE TO REGISTER.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE UPCOMING SESSIONS IN OCTOBER
